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Friday, September 3, 2010

More and more people try to homebrew alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages in their own homes. And as in the commercial market, the beer is the most bought alcohol so in the household brewing, beer is the most brewed beverage. Of course this is due to the fact that many people choose to create a unique beer style which best fits their taste. Different beers have different beer styles and beer styles differ on the producing method and ingredients used. And from different producing methods and ingredients each beer receives a unique aroma, taste, palate and other characteristics that a good beer possesses. Palate however is the most appreciated characteristic. It basically means the feeling you get from drinking the beer, how hard it hits you and other such indications.

However there are also other characteristics which should be taken in mind. Sweetness, strength, bitterness and appearance are also characteristics of the high quality beer. Bitterness is achieved by changing the herbs used and the proportions between different ingredients thus giving you the opportunity to increase or decrease it. Sweetness depends on the amount of sugar while strength is determined by the level of fermentation of the yeasts and fermentation temperatures. However appearance is the most valued characteristic of the beer, because it is the first thing that a man or woman sees in the beverage. Under appearance we mean the clarity, aroma, matte and color of the beer.

There are many different beer styles, but two of the most widely spread ones are Ale and the Lager. While lager is a simple beer the ale is much more complex and expensive. The producers of ale use only yeasts of the highest quality which are fermented at high temperatures. Due to those high temperatures the yeasts are influenced to release more flavors, aromas and colors thus giving the beer its unique palate, aroma, matte, taste and color. However if you want to produce ale you will need to spend more money and time on finding the correct ingredients.

While ale beer is considered for a more elite beverage the lager beer is one of the most commonly used and their origin comes from Central Europe. The lager beer begins fermentation at lower temperatures than the ale beer and then is stored at even lower. During the second stage of storing the beer clears and mellows. The cold temperatures stimulate the production of byproducts in the beer which lead to a softer and enjoyable taste in the end. Modern lager beer is highly carbonated and has a very light color and its alcohol content usually varies between three to six percent. However depending on the producer the alcohol level may be higher or lower. Various fruits and herbs can be added to the lager beer to change its color and taste allowing the producing of different lager styles.

An important thing that most beer producers follow, are the traditions of their ancestors. A good beer tradition results in a unique beer style and taste which makes the experience of drinking the beer even more enjoyable to the customer. Of course if you want to experiment and create a flavor for your taste, you can always try to homebrew beer. And it is your choice if you will use an already establishes beer style or try to create a new one.